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Development Braunwald – Braunwald: Gondola too expensive – it remains with a funicular – News

26 May 2023

Contents

The Glarner government has decided that a funicular railway should continue to run to the car-free holiday resort of Braunwald.

Braunwald should also be accessible by funicular in the future. The Glarner cantonal government has decided to rebuild the more than 100-year-old railway. The government has rejected the idea of a gondola lift from the valley.

The funicular from Linthal to Braunwald is to be rebuilt on the existing route and given a new mountain station. The idea of a gondola lift is thus off the table.

History of the Braunwald Railway

1/5

Legend:

From 1907 to 1938 the Braunwaldbahn used open wooden carriages.

«Photo nice weather» Glarus and Braunwaldbahn

Braunwaldbahn carriage silver 1938 to 1966

Braunwaldbahn red cars 1966 to 1997

Braunwaldbahn carriages blue and yellow 1997 to 2007

Braunwaldbahn from 2007 in red and white

This would have served to transport people and the funicular would have continued to be used for freight transport. A gondola lift from the valley directly to the ski area was favored by the Braunwald sports railways.

Funicular is half the price

At the media conference, the government cited the costs in particular as the reason for this decision. A new funicular should cost around 24 million Swiss francs, a 10-seater gondola almost twice as much. Then there are the annual operating costs: CHF 3 million for the funicular and CHF 5 million for the gondola.

The funicular railway to Braunwald is the only connection between the Glarner health resort and the outside world. It leads from the Linthal valley station to the car-free mountain village at 1256 meters above sea level and is in operation every day.

The more than 100-year-old railway is showing its age. There is a shortage in every nook and cranny, says Markus Hobi, Managing Director of Braunwald Standseilbahn AG, to Radio SRF on request. In order to keep the railway operational, the electromechanics and the control would have to be replaced, among other things, wagons would have to be renovated and the tunnel would have to be widened because the escape routes are too narrow today.

That’s why the existing railway is now to be “upgraded”, according to Hobi. After a refurbishment by the end of 2024, the existing railway should be able to remain in operation until 2035. Then the license expires.

The Braunwaldbahn was last renovated 26 years ago.

In addition, the funicular can be realized more quickly. The planning phase and finally the construction period should last at least six years, according to government councilor Marianne Lienhard. In the case of a gondola lift, on the other hand, the process is expected to last ten years.

However, the timetable is still unclear. A project organization must first be set up and the construction project developed, Landammann Benjamin Mühlemann told the media. At best, the Landsgemeinde 2025 could already decide on a construction loan.